CDSNet, LLC. was granted the contract for developing and customer service operations for the Metrolink Commuter Rail Service in Los Angeles. Metrolink commuter rail is a complex system serving the needs of commuters throughout the greater Southern California area covering Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties as well as parts of Ventura and San Diego counties.

The objective of this program is to provide schedule, fare, bus connectivity and accessibility information to over 50,000 callers each month. Metrolink Customer Service Operators reserve space for school trips, issue permits to riders wishing to bring bicycles on the train and resolve complaints and problems.

CDSNet, LLC. was charged with the task of bringing together the necessary resources to provide the full range of information required to service caller needs. We recruited leading designers of Automated Voice Response (AVR) systems to design a system with the goal of answering 60% of the incoming calls without requiring live operator participation. This advanced AVR system provides basic scheduling and fare information as well as automated fax capabilities to deliver station specific information. The system has performed well, answering in excess of the 60% target accept during new service introduction. We then developed a relationship with an organization that maintains a data base of all bus transit systems in the area serviced by Metrolink. The network designed to be operated for this project allows operators to access this data base from the same terminals used for other aspects of their work. We then designed data bases to answer the most complex scheduling calls, track all operator answered calls, track school trip reservations, fax out information, track complaints and maintain mailing lists.

As part of the design phase of this project the CDSNet, LLC. management team surveyed stations throughout the system for accessibility information and to gain understanding of the clients needs. As a result of this and other research CDSNet, LLC. designed a comprehensive training program for customer service operators including documentation, field trips and other course materials. Our on-going training keeps operators  abreast of changes on this rapidly developing system as well as honing their skills for dealing with callers’ needs.

Although the call volume encountered for this project has been higher than anticipated by either ourselves or Metrolink management, we have been able to respond quickly to both increase demand and service changes. The systems CDSNet, LLC. designed and implemented have shown to be capable of handling both the high volume of calls and complexity of information required to a point where it is being considered for rail transit projects throughout the country.